“Recreation’s purpose is not to kill time, but to make life, not to keep a person occupied, but to keep them refreshed; not to offer an escape from life, but to provide a discovery of life.” [Again, I forgot to retain the author’s name. Mea culpa. I’ll repair if possible. I don’t do it on purpose. – ed.]
I had a note of my own saved. Figure out how to write a blog based on this idea…the note read. Recreation is great and endings are important…that’s the idea.
I put endings in there because I have been studying the ageing process. Turns out it actually is a process. If you are lucky.
Part of it is trying to finish my novel, currently titled UNTITLED.
I am a sports fan and an old competitor, which means life is often pondered vis a vis athletic endeavors.
Contrary to the preaching of a certain Beaverton-based shoe company, there is a finish line.
Jesus, The Cowsills just came on, singing HAIR.
I took my first wife to the Broadway show in 1970. I am not saying Mrs. Welch The First was a straight arrow, but she fell sound asleep in the middle of the show. The nude scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFy-yzj02FE
My current wife – my last wife – says I ramble and I don’t hear so good. I think that’s what she said. Anyway, how about those New York Giants, huh?
Where was I? oh, yeah. I came across this wise, insightful blog by srinirao. The brief blog is a plethora of tips for a better life, a better game, a better today.
Anytime I go surfing, I have one main objective: catch as many waves as possible. Sometimes it doesn’t go according to plan. There are too many people in the water or the conditions just suck. Or, I can’t muster up the courage to take off, especially on a big day.
I think the ocean has placed a curse on all surfers known as the curse of one last wave. The minute you utter the words “one last wave and I’m done” something happens. For some reason that wave is the hardest damn wave to catch in the entire surf session.
If you wipe out on it, you paddle back out for another one. If you catch a really good one, you sometimes say to yourself “well there’s no way I’m leaving now, that was awesome.” Then you finally come to your senses and realize you have to get out at some point since your arms feel like they’re going to fall off, so you make a point to end it on a high note and finally catch one last wave.
Even in the worst of surf sessions, finishing things off with a good wave will make you forget just how bad the whole session was. As I’ve said before. One really good memory wipes out all the bad ones.
- Life is kind of similar, especially for those of us who are victims of the late bloomer syndrome.
- A lousy meal can be overcome by an incredible dessert
- An average movie can be made by an incredible ending
- A losing sports team can make history by doing something incredible in the final minutes of the game.
- A performer can win the hearts of his or her audience with an incredible closing act.
If you’ve got the chance to make a last impression, remember that it’s never too late to be extraordinary and end it on a high note.
Whomever you are, whatever you are doing, ask yourself…if this is the final quarter, the last wave, the shot at the buzzer for the win, am I doing the best I can? Do you like happy endings?
Oh, no, it’s Elvis! Christ. Suspicious Minds. We can’t build our dreams on suspicious minds…dry the tears from your eyes. Something like that. We’re caught in a trap. Whatever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBmAPYkPeYU
Big Man In Town. That’s better. Someday the sun will shine down on me. I’ll be a big man in town.
I’m gonna make it. Just, you wait and see. You’ll be proud of me.